Locals know the Austin Chronicle’s Hot Sauce Festival for its tasty sauces of all flavors and heat levels, live music and the annual hot sauce contest. For some, winning the contest was the peak of their hot sauce careers. But for others, victory signaled the time to turn up the heat.
Michael Valencia always considered himself a foodie, inventing his signature salsa at 13 years old in his home kitchen. A dare from his brother encouraged him to enter the 2012 hot sauce contest, where his red sauce placed first in its category. Twelve years later, the legend of how restaurant and hot sauce company Mikey V’s began and continues to inspire foodies and entrepreneurs alike.
“Thanks to The Austin Chronicle and Austin Hot Sauce Festival, it opened the door for me … to follow (my) dreams,” Valencia said. “One of (my life goals) was to open a hot sauce shop since I was a kid.”
The Austin Hot Sauce Festival generated more than one successful business. Tony Nuñez, owner of the hot sauce company Fantastic Fuego, won the contest in 2019 when his wife urged him to use the recipe that won her over when they dated. Even though he didn’t see himself as competitive, Nuñez submitted his salsa.
“When we attended the festival that year, we (thought) it (would) be cool to win honorable mention. … When they announced honorable mention, and it wasn’t my name … we slowly started walking away,” Nuñez said. “First place was announced, and they called out my name. I was in total shock and disbelief.”
Sarah Wolf of The Austin Chronicle has worked with the Hot Sauce Festival for a decade. She said they have to narrow down hundreds of submissions before deciding which will make it to the festival. There, a panel of celebrity guests blind-taste sauces.
“(Winning the competition) gave them the courage to (believe they were) onto something,” Wolf said. “It’s cool to see people that had other jobs … (whose) full-time job is (now) hot sauce.”
Over the years, both businesses reached significant milestones, confirming the wins meant more than a fluke. Mikey V’s now has 50 employees, a shop in Georgetown and two manufacturing facilities. Valencia also wrote a hot sauce cookbook and boasts something of a fanbase.
“When I go out (to the festival), it’s very humbling,” Valencia said. “I get people that come up and (ask for my autograph). I’m like, ‘Why? It’s just me.’”
After the jump-start the Hot Sauce Festival gave them, Mikey V’s and Fantastic Fuego stayed committed to returning to the festival each year. But instead of competing as individuals, they competed as commercial vendors. Both businesses made the top three in multiple categories.
Valencia said every time he returns to the festival, thinking about how he got his start blows him away.
“I’m really blessed to be in this industry and to have so many supporters locally in Austin,” Valencia said. “I am always looking forward to (the Hot Sauce Festival) … it’s really hot out there, but we always have a great time.”
